Before It's Too Late
by Chiiharu
Summary: They were both sisters. The youngest became a Keyblader, even though it was meant for her older sister. The older one was damned; her heart ripped away. But they'll find each other again through their hearts, wherever they may be. 100 themes, Xigbar/OC.
1. Nothing

**A/N:** Hi, guys! Long time no see, eh? Well, I decided to get my ass in gear and write some good old themes for the Kingdom Hearts second! You guy'd like that, right? And it has to do with the character's in my Chemically Refined fic! Aren't you guys happy? I'm happy! XD

Anyway, the lyrics in this chapter are "Before It's Too Late" by the Goo Goo Dolls, it's homage to inspiring my first ever KH fic. And yes, there will be 100 chapters.

As a matter of fact, you don't even have to read anything dealing with Chemically Refined. The Organization and Sora and Riku and all of those guys are in this too. Just sit back and enjoy! This is for me not updating and paying attention to the fandom like I should! This is mainly OC talks though. The relationship between two sisters. XD Well, that's suppose to be the theme.

Guess which one gets the Keyblade, huh? XD

* * *

_I wandered through fiction to look for the truth, buried beneath all the lies._

* * *

**I.) Nothing**

I looked up into her eyes, her pale blue eyes and I couldn't help but doubt that was my sister standing right in front of me. She looked so mad at me for no reason whatsoever! What did I do wrong this time? My sister Kaori_ hated_ me. My sister had always hated me, and with that look she was giving me now... I couldn't help but think that I had done something wrong. Tears were forming in my eyes from the ferocious look she was giving me. My sister was so much prettier than me, too.

She had this long, black shiny hair that cascaded down her back. She was slender and she was tall.

My parents loved her. Especially my father. My father loved her because she was fantastic at playing volleyball. She was the caption of the volleyball team here. I could play a little too... But that didn't mean I liked to play volleyball as well... I only did it because it made my father proud of me too. But nothing I did could make Kaori proud of me. She treated me like...

"Let's see, Ruri. Maybe if you stop being such a crybaby, I'll give you my winning ball!" I stood up straight, attentive, and folded my hands. I tried to hold in my tears as much as I could. She was always making fun of me for crying. She had perfect fingernails that she managed to keep in tip-top-shape. She was everything that I wasn't, and everything that I knew I couldn't become. I just wanted to make her happy.

Even though she was mocking me, I wanted to have her winning ball.

Volleyball meant everything to Kaori...

And if she gave me her ball, that would mean she was really proud of me for trying to follow in her footsteps. "And stop slouching around when you're in position to hit the damn ball, Ruri! I swear, you get worse and worse every time I see you out on the field! Try to get some damn aim before you try to play my sport!" With every word that fell out of her mouth, I started shaking more violently. But I tried to hide it.

I wouldn't cry in front of her. I promised myself that I wouldn't cry again! "You're going to cry, Ruri, aren't you? Well? Are you deaf like you are during the game when calls are made? Huh? Answer me Crybaby! Stop being so damn silent all of the time and maybe you'll earn a little respect!"

"Kaori, I..."

I was going to tell her that I hated her. I hated Kaori so much for everything she said to me. For everything that I wasn't.

"Yes? Speak up! I can't hear you. What do you want to say to me? You want to give me five dollars? How nice of you!"

"I... I..."

"I'm waiting," my sister cooed, sticking her index finger in the air and holding her volleyball with her other hand.

We were both standing in a forest not too far off away from our home. It was in our backyard, actually. We lived in Aretha—They called it the world of flowers, but I felt I hadn't bloomed. I couldn't bloom, not with my sister looming over me.

"Nothing," I eventually said, sighing. My eyes were just as watery as they could be. I was trying so hard... So hard not to cry in front of her. And then I started to sob. I dropped on my knees and buried my face inside of my hands, crying as loud as I could. She smirked at me. Koari smirked at me and bounced her ball on top of my head. But there was nothing I could do about it.

"There's a whole new world out there, Ruri!" she exclaimed. "And there's no way I'm taking you if you can't even stand."

How could I stand when she treated me like nothing?

I meant nothing to her.


	2. Flowers

**A/N: **You guys are awesome! XD

I'm so glad so many of you guys love this. And I'd love to talk to you guys individually about your comments, which I will do at the bottom of all of these chapters from now on, so look out for that. I read all of your reviews, even if you are anonymous. And plus, I can't exactly PM anonymous reviewers can I?

So yeah. XD I just have to leave an A/N at the top of each chapter because without it, I feel like I'd be naked. XD

Anyway, this time for your reading pleasure, I recommend finding **Yoko Shimomura's "Somnus".** The Drammatica one. From Final Fantasy Versus. It set the tone for this one. And that is where the lyrics come from here.

* * *

_This tragedy destroys, in front of them, every beloved thing._

* * *

**II.) Flowers.**

I didn't know what to think that day. Maybe it was because my tears didn't want to stop falling. Death was all around me and I couldn't stop shaking. Now? I felt like I couldn't even breathe. Everything wrong was happening to me and I couldn't... I couldn't breathe to make things right.

I sat next to my sister and my parents. They were all dressed in black—everyone inside of the church except for Kaori, of course. Kaori always said that she could do whatever she wanted and my parents let her because she was the star of the show. Lights flashed around her, even when she couldn't pay any respects to the dead. In my eyes, Kaori was almighty. Kaori was untouchable.

And almost in an attempt to slap everyone in the face, she wore the brightest, happiest dress in the room. Despite its happy cheer, it was still raunchy. Too raunchy to be wearing to a funerel. I wouldn't have the guts to wear something like that around, but Kaori was Kaori, and she was going to do anything she wanted. I just had to nod my head and clap for her. It was a yellow, bright yellow dress. She was so yellow right now that she stuck out amongst the crowd of hundreds inside the church. She wore a mini-dress with a plunging neckline that had a contrasting lace-up design on it. It had small silts on the side... She was showing too much of herself.

Kaori was strange. She said that yellow reminded her of light, and she insisted that she was more of a night person. She said that the morning and sunlight made her feel really sleepy—which was bad when she tried to play volleyball. She couldn't be sleepy during the game. She was the MVP of the varsity team. She couldn't_ afford_ to be sleepy.

"All you people bore me," Kaori exclaimed, brashly. She tapped her fingers on top of her knee as she looked at me. "Why is everyone inside of this place _crying?_ Wah, wah, wah. Everyone in this place needs to grow up and understand the fact that people can't live forever. All of you all are hanging onto something that is already dead!" Sometimes I wondered if Kaori had an ounce of compassion inside of her, but I was sure she did because she was perfect.

She was so much better than me.

I was silent, I accepted, I believed.

And I kept crying, no matter what Kaori said. She was actually there when he died. My only friend. I—I never got the chance to tell him that I loved him. He was the only one who went to all of my games and he watched me dance. I didn't like to do sports and he was the only one who knew that I was on the dance team. Well, besides the people who were on the team with me and my instructor. He would drive me to my dance competitions because my parents were too busy watching Kaori's games... It wasn't like they cared about my dancing anyway...

My parents didn't have time to stop at my volleyball games—and if they didn't have time for that, they didn't have time to drive me around. He was wonderful and had an amazing smile. He was extremely funny, too. Because I had this long, purple hair, people didn't want to be seen with me. I didn't have many friends, but he was like one-hundreds friends built into one person. He told me that purple flowers symbolized purpose and pride. That I was more than what I thought I was.

I wasn't useless.

Of course I didn't believe him. If Kaori said I was useless and incapable of doing anything right... If my parents didn't pay enough attention to drive me around... If I liked to do dance instead of playing a rigorous sport like volleyball, and if I had this weird purple hair (even though I got that trait from my mom, and she's treated very normal and no one cares about her short, purple hair) I was less than useless.

Then he told me that I was like a flower. I didn't understand. Flowers were pretty. Flowers had meaning. Dirt wasn't a part of the flower; I was just the thing that flowers used to grow off of. To leach off of. There were flowers all over Aretha, and he did the strangest thing. We were walking to school and he picked these white, bulb-like flowers. They were small and a whole bunch of them grew on the same green stem.

"_These are called Everlasting, Ruri! Because even if you pluck them, they still retain their shape and color. It could be hours since they've been plucked. When a flower gets pulled from the ground, it starts to wilt away, but not Everlasting. They call them "Strawflower" anyway, because of their straw-like blossoms."_

"_But Kei, why are you giving these flowers to me? I—I can't take care of them. I have so many things to do—I can't tend to these flowers so... Even if they can't die... I'll end up killing them anyway."_

"_Nonsense, Ruri. You're just like them and you haven't killed yourself yet."_

"_..."_

"_Now, don't look so sad. Here, you're everlasting, Ruri. And you're more beautiful than the flowers you hold."_

"_But I—"_

"_Isn't that your favorite thing to say? Just take the flowers, Ruri. Now come on, we're going to be late to school."_

"_..."_

"_Aren't you going to say anything? Why did you drop the flowers?"_

"_Because! Because I'm just not fit to hold such beautiful things!"_

"_Aww, don't cry now..." _

"_I can't stop crying. Everyone around me is so much better than I am! Even in this land... The land we walk on... There are flowers everywhere, but when will I bloom? Everyone has earned their colors and you know that everyone gets named after a flower. I don't think _I _can take the name of Everlasting just yet Kei. You know your family has to name you and—"_

"_Ruri, your name means 'flower', doesn't it?"_

"_But, but, no! It means 'lapis lazuli'. That's a jewel! The farthest thing from a flower!"_

"_I am your friend, and I'm in your family, Ruri. I love you, all right? Now if I say you're like Everlasting, than you are. If we find something else, then we'll name you after that. Just smile for me, okay?"_

"_Okay. My head itches a little, I'm sorry I freaked out a bit..."_

"_There, better now?"_

"_Yes, thank you Kei. You're a really nice friend!"_

"_That's what I'm looking for, Ruri! A nice, everlasting smile!"_

It was time to get up to see the body now. What good was it seeing his body—_Kei's_ body if I couldn't see and touch his soul? No matter how many times I told his body that I loved him, that I wanted to be more than friends, I couldn't. I chewed my lip as my row stood up. Everyone walked slowly towards him, his family crying louder than ever. I felt so sad. I felt so miserable. I wanted to make everyone happy like Kaori thought she was doing wearing her yellow dress.

My steps amplified throughout the church that was full of flowers. I felt my heart try to come out of my throat . It was beating so fast. I—I didn't think I could handle seeing him again. Not with his eyes closed. Not like that. Because then I'd know that he was dead—that he was just filled with sand. I had gotten lightheaded. I couldn't breathe again. I thought I was going to faint, but my sister was behind me. She'd catch me if I fell.

"Start walking like you've got some sense, Ruri! Dammit, why is everyone walking so slowly?! I just want to see if the rumor is true, that the bodies of the dead really do end up talking to you. Maybe your boy-toy can wish me luck in our next game!" Kaori looked up at the ceiling in bliss. She was smiling, and I couldn't believe it. My legs did not want to move for me. Kaori was actually pushing me up the aisle. I didn't want to do this anymore! I wanted to sit down, I wanted to breathe, I wanted to go back to my seat but I couldn't tell Kaori that! She'd be upset with me!

The pain of seeing him dead would have been too great for me.

I started to remember why he died. What had happened? It was an accident, and it was because of me! Everything was because of me. If Kaori ever lost a game, it was because of _me. _

* * *

I just have to get away. Nothing is going right for me anymore. I am so sick and tired of losing games. I can't go back to my family... I can't tell them that I had added another loss to my belt. It was my fault... My own team distracted me. They kept commenting on my hair, making me lose focus. I'm not going to go back home. As soon as I served the ball out of bounds and cost us a point... I can't bare to tell Kaori that I lost.

It's raining and I don't know where I'm going. All I know is that I have to keep going forward. There is mud everywhere and I can't control my footing on the ground. I kept sliding, and I fell into the ground, right in the mud. My hair is messy too. It can't get any worse than this... I decided to sit there and cry my heart out, but someone grabbed my arm. It was Kei. He was wet too, and he went to chase after me. … Why did he chase after me?

I do not need him...

I am useless. "Ruri, come on, you're going to get sick." he spoke, like he cared about me. And I knew Kei cared about me. I let out a sigh and I can't get any words out of my mouth. He hugs me close and I know I'm safe with him. Kaori can't pull him away from me and neither can my parents. I—I need him and he knew that. It is unlikely that I'd run into either of them anyway.

"Ssh," he spoke, running his fingers through my hair. He started walking towards the street and I follow every step he makes as he holds me close. It's the first time I've ever been hugged so close. "Don't say anything, Ruri. I'm going to take you home." He is going to take me home. Home. My salvation. My sanctuary. I really love Kei. He saves me from everything I do wrong. I feel happy in his arms. And then something tugs on my arm. I think it's him.

"Ha, I found you, Crybaby! You can't just leave in the middle of a game like that!" I'm petrified! … K-Kaori manages to find me, even though she wasn't at my game? She never comes to any of my games, so why was she here now? Kei held me closer and I look at the two in horror.

"Get off of her case," Kei speaks, gritting his teeth. "I think you're the reason why Ruri's having such a horrible time." Kaori gives him the evil-eye, her hand on her hip. She doesn't care about the rain messing up her hair. Normally she freaks about about that type of thing. I'm crying, but the rain hides my tears and makes them seem normal, like I am crying rain. I wish that I can hide myself like that. I extend my hand, begging Kei not to say anything rash.

"You brat!" Kaori hisses. "She's my sister and I can do whatever the hell I want to do with her. And if I say she gets her ass back in that game, then she's going to get her ass back in that game!" Her voice is loud and domineering, she means every word she says. She grabs my arm, tugging me away from beside him. I am powerless, but he isn't going to stand for that.

"She doesn't want to play, Kaori! That's unfair!" he shouts, stomping his foot on the ground. It's the angriest I've ever seen him. Kaori smirks and lets me go. I'm taken by surprise. She really let me go... Just like that? Smiling a toothy grin, Kaori pushes me. Right into the street traffic. I scream. My whole world spins around me. All at once, I can see stars and cars zooming around me. I see lights flickering, and then a heard someone scream my name. It's Kei, of course. My whole world blacks out and I find myself laying on the ground.

I hear wheels come to a screeching stop—and then I see Kei laying on the street... In a bloody mess.

"Aww! Did you just die, Kei?" Kaori cackles, walking towards me. My eyes water. My eyes widen. My eyes strain. All of my senses shut off. I collapse on my knees and bring my hands to my face. I'm unable to speak. He just saved my life. But he isn't dead right? Right?! Kaori walks towards me and pulls my up by my arm. I'm helpless... I can't say anything. The man driving the truck steps out of the vehicle and yells for us to come back—that we are the witnesses and he didn't hit Kei on purpose.

Kaori walks towards the school with a pep in her step and I hear sirens.

My vision blurs.

Everything I know dies.

My mind starts spinning as the scene disappears from my sight.

And upon realizing that my friend—my lover is dead out on the cold street—I scream out his name in one last attempt to bring him back and save me from the game.

* * *

"Hey, Ruri! Stop daydreaming and just put the damn flower on top of the body already so we can get this over with! I want to go home and practice! They won't let me get that scholarship to college if I don't win this next game!" I shook my head and glanced at Kei's cold body. I wanted to touch him, but I knew touching him wouldn't be allowed. My grip tightened on the Everlasting I had brought him.

And miraculously, I didn't cry! That was such an accomplishment for me. But I couldn't move. My breath was taken away from me at the sight of seeing his dead body again. Softly, I put the flowers on his body and nodded my head. I placed my hand on the right side of his chest—right on top of his heart.

And then I felt a push.

Kaori had pushed me into the casket.

"Kaori!!" My dad exclaimed. He stood up and Kaori turned around, grinning impishly.

"What, she was taking too long!" I tumbled all over the casket and over the decorations around it. The casket tipped over, spilling Kei's body out of it. Now, I was laying on top of his body, smashing the flowers that I had put on top of his body. I felt like I was suffocating him—but I couldn't feel a soul inside of him. I started sweating all over my body and I started crying again. Bawling and wailing. "Get up, Ruri! Sheesh, what a klutz you are!"

"I'm sorry!!!" I yelled out, trying to hide my tears. I got up quickly, and I was going to put everything back until I looked at his face.

His cold face.

And I yelled out in agony before fainting.

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**A/N:** Woah. What... Look at how icey Kaori is!

Wow guys, I am wishing Kaori death here. Wouldn't you agree?

**NinjaSheik:** Thank you, I guess. There's nothing much to really thank, all you just said was a plain 'update soon'. That's kind of suckish. Can you pick out anything that you liked or disliked in the chapter?

**007** (Because your new penname sucks! XD): Okay, now's not the time to talk about CCFA, you should really be focused on Ruri and her friends! Yeah, Ruri doesn't know the meaning of jealous, sorry. I'm glad you like this story so much!

**XxXSharada-SharadaXxX:** Yeah, Kaori is a bitch, isn't she? Talk to you when I update this story! :D

Lizzie's bankai: Yes, thank you! I do make the best OCs don't I? And you should make an account, because then you'll have a spiffy avatar.

**Big Mac Attack:** When I saw your name, I thought of George Bush. XD Hi lurker! You need to learn how to review more often!

**xx-Addict-For-Dramatics-xx:** Have I told you how much I love you, Addy? You're always there when I need ya, you little thing you! I blew you kisses of love! And yeah, I'll marry you. I've already married a couple of other people, anyway. XD;

**-x.'Sombody's Nobody'. x-:** Happy birthday to you too. You're about a month late. Terrible, Sadie.

**A Rainbow Of Sunshine:** XD Yeah, I like the Goo Goo Dolls. And thanks for saying that my summary was awesome. Because I totally thought it sucked.

**I Admire your OC Control:** Yeah. Like I said, I make the best characters, not to toot my own horn.

**Breathe For Love Today:** Thanks. This should be long enough for you. And sadly, there are a lot of people like Kaori. XD

Oh, and it's saying someone else reviewed too, but they're not letting me see you, but I know you did so yeah. XD;;; I'll get you next time! :D


	3. Insomnia

**A/N: **Hi guys, again! Yeah, it's me, Chiharu, and we're going to play the little jump-around game. So I was half-way through one of my themes, and I hadn't liked the one I was writing, so I picked this baby. Why I didn't go for something action-packed, I don't know. And the two people I'm using this theme for? Ira and Avaritia! Cue everyone falling out of their seats and other people blinking about who those people are! XD

Ira and Avaritia are those two guys that belong to the Divine Retribution, remember? They are called Entities—which are beings without hearts—and they can only feel one emotion—which is the sin that they are named after. Ira means Wrath, and Avaritia means Greed in Latin, see? They both are experiments, just like a certain someone we know.

If this comes out with a whole lot of fluff, it isn't my fault. As you can see, I really, really, really like this pairing. XD Also, for this chapter, I recommended **Hope's "Who Am I To Say?".** We know the procedure.

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_Love of my life, my soul mate. You're my best friend. Part of me like breathing Now half of me is left._

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**III.) Insomnia**

Sleep.

How did Nobodies do it? Did Heartless do it? Ha, did humans do it? Look, I didn't care who knew _how _to do it, the point is, babe, that I couldn't sleep. I couldn't sleep since the last time I 'member sleepin', which would have been _never_. Our commando said something about, eh, not being able to go to sleep or something like that. Okay, we could sleep, yeah. And we could have dreams too. Fake dreams, but dreams nonetheless.

So they weren't fake dreams at all, you get me?

I remember having dreams that meant something, but now all I can dream about is greed. You know, like my name and my 'element'? I guess that's what our commando called them. I don't sleep with my eyes closed either. We sleep with our eyes open. Huh, I wonder why that is? I sat up in my bed and stuck a piece of spearmint gum in my mouth. I couldn't go anywhere without my gum, babe. I chewed it whenever I was awake. I threw on my red coat, but I didn't bother to uh—zip it up. Yeah, that's what I mean. I looked into the mirror and doubted that it was me.

Man, babe, you wouldn't believe me if I told you that my skin was kind of dry, and I took care of it every single day! My hair was light-brown and it reached my chin, practically. It was kind of messy, but usually it was really straight most of the time. I wore a red ribbon tied over my left eye, and I still had my old cross tattoo underneath that eye. Commando didn't like my tattoo, but I told him to piss off. He could control everyone else, but not me.

I had my blanket in my left hand and I walked into the hallway with my nose stuck up in the air. After that, I guess I started walking to her room. Ira's room. Ira was a homie, babe. I was closer to her than I was too any of these guys. Let's face it, she was obviously hot. I was hot, she was hot, and we could be hot together, you get what I'm saying? We weren't like those Organization XIII punks. We didn't live in a castle forever. That was stupid. What was his name? Xemnas? Yeah, he was a blowhole because the annoying people can find you that way.

We traveled to different worlds while the commando did tests on us to evaluate our proficiency or something like that. I didn't know how strong we had to be. We were pretty strong now. I cracked Ira's door open, and she was in a deep sleep. She looked like she was sleeping for real, though. Her eyes were closed and she had her head buried inside of her pillow. Ira was a strange girl. For one, the babe was taller than me. A lot taller.

And she had these silver and amber eyes—which came from... Well, I didn't exactly remember myself, you see. Ira was never one for words. She kept everything she felt and saw to herself most of the time. But she was sexy, and I couldn't resist a sexy babe like her. So I stepped in right, chewing my gum just as I had been chewing it before, bringing my blanket into the room. Ira had this wild, white hair... It was all over the place in an almost-afro. The only thing that didn't make it an afro would be the fact that her hair wasn't stuck in one place. It was free, and for some reason, the babe always seemed to be free.

She was the only one who had the guts to say something against the commando. She called him a 'racist bastard' one time. And he didn't do anything to her, he just told her that she could never beat him. If I knew Ira, I knew that she hated Thanatos. Oh, that's the commando. His name is Thanatos, and he made us. I dropped my blanket on the ground and walked up to her. Yeah, that's right, who needed stealth? I walked over to her bed, chewing my bubble gum. She looked even better in the moonlight with all of the lights turned off.

Was she sleeping?

Maybe she could help me sleep too. "Hey, babe..." I whispered, giving her a flick on her nose. "Babe, wake up. It's me, Avaritia."

"You bumbling swine..." she muttered, her eyes opening. She sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes. "What do you want, Avaritia? It is late and I am trying to get my energy back for the next mission. Please, get out of my room." I grabbed her shoulders and she looked at me like she wanted to castrate me. That wasn't a problem though—she always looked like that to everyone. Ira was forever frowning and looking pissed. That was part of what I liked about the chick. No one could pull a frown better than she did, and with that milky brown skin of hers, she was a goddess.

"Teach me how to sleep," I muttered. Ira tilted her head. "You know babe, you were sleeping just right a second ago. I can't sleep worth anything and—"

"Spit out your gum."

"What?" I sighed, blinking. "But babe, I—"

"Avaritia," she said, her voice stern. She wasn't going to change her mind any time soon. She moved her right hand and sat on the edge of her bed. "If you do not spit out your gum, you can leave." I smirked and kept chewing it. She knew she liked it when I chewed my gum. Who was she foolin'? She rolled her eyes and turned towards me. "Why would you come into my room and prod me about teaching you how to sleep. Sleep is something that you learn in the early stages of birth. Sleep is not something that you can teach someone else. You have to learn how to do it on your own."

"But what if I don't want to learn how to do it on my own, babe?"

"Stop calling me that."

"Make me."

"No, you are going to learn to stop doing that. It is such a bad habit, you saying that and your obsessive gum-chewing. It is disgusting, Avaritia." Hmph. After that, she laid back down in her bed. "Now go away." She didn't care that I was sitting right next to her. Why did she get to sleep and I didn't? "Just close your eyes and go to sleep. Picture something while you close your eyes and it will come to life. That is how I do it. It is how everyone does it. I remember dreaming like that when I still had my heart." I didn't believe we ever had hearts, but Ira was dead set on believing that _she _did, anyway.

So I tried what the babe told me to do.

I laid on top of her and she yawned in disgust. It wasn't like I was _smashing_ the girl, though. I was just on top of her. "So help me go to sleep, babe." She grunted, but I knew she would come through eventually. She didn't say anything for a while, and I think she had went back to sleep. I stayed wide awake again, and that's when I poked the babe in her neck. She woke up that time.

"Yes, Avaritia?"

"What do you want me to think about?"

"Whatever makes you fall asleep," she murmured. She was really trying to go back to sleep, wasn't she? I waited for her to say something else, but I think she fell back to sleep again. I poked her some more.

"What is it this time, Avaritia?"

"Do you think we'll make it out of here alive, babe?"

She yawned. "Of course not, Avaritia. We are all going to die." She turned around and went right back to sleeping again. I liked the feel of her skin against mine. I wish that we could stay like this forever, but if we were going to die...

"Huh, Avaritia...?" she said, right after I poked her one last time.

"Are we going to find our hearts? Can I picture the two of us, together, with our old hearts, babe?" She was silent after that one, too. But after two minutes of waiting, she gave me a response.

"I don't see why not." I closed my eyes and started to picture the two of us happy. At first, I saw two blurry figures. I couldn't make out their faces—but then everything started to take shape. Ira was in a sexy bikini, and I was in my swimming trunks. We were taking pictures at a beach, and neither one of us looked like we had just gotten back from a battle. If I was going to be killed in this battle, I wanted to be killed just like I was now.

Sleepy, tired, happy, and on top of her.

That was the good life right there—something that Thanatos couldn't take away.

And I'd dream of us finding our hearts together.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm on a run today! XD

I'll respond to everyone later!

Thanks, and keep reviewing! XD


	4. Possessed

**A/N:** Holy crap, guys! I am so proud of this theme right here, let me tell you! XD;;;

I wasn't even thinking when I wrote this, and it came out so beautiful! XD;;; So epic! So yeah, listen to** Avenged Sevenfold's "Wicked End"** for this one. And this telling about Ruri, mm'kay? Saved you some mindrape there, Addy :P

This is so perfect!

I'm in LOVE with this theme! :D *cuddles*

* * *

_Walls are falling, churches burning, women ravaged, children crying. Flesh is tearing, some still fighting in this world of misery. Left with his sins, how does this end? We won't be here tomorrow, hold on to me for one last time._

* * *

**IV.) Possessed**

_Ones born of the heart and darkness, devoid of hearts, ravage all worlds and bring desolation. _

_Seize all hearts and consummate the great heart. _

_All hearts to be one, one heart to encompass all. _

_Realize the destiny: the realm of Kingdom Hearts. _

_The great darkness sealed within the great heart. _

_Progeny of darkness, come back to the eternal darkness. _

_For the heart of light shall unseal the path. _

_Seven hearts, one Keyhole, one key to the door. _

_The door of darkness, tied by two keys. The door of darkness..._

It tore at her—even her insides.

It attacks her mind, her body, her soul, and it awakens the beast inside of her. All she can see now are streams of black and red—sometimes not even being able to differentiate the two. It hugs her when she is cold. It cools her off when she was hot. It dances around her body, following every move she makes. She smiles and it laughs at her reaction to its glorious heat.

She always hopes that someday—someday she can make this smoky, black substance hers. The two beings keep dancing, dancing until they can never stop dancing. And she makes sure she _never_ stops dancing, for she can't breathe without it caressing her body. Her soul. But her mind? She laughs at the thought. It is_ her _mind, and she willingly gives herself to the thing that makes her feel human.

Oh how she hungers to be accepted by the rest of the world around her. And in knowing this, she lets her truly-beloved drive her—almost to the point of mere insanity. The euphoria she feels as they dance, dance right to her death, is what drives her to accomplishing her goal.

"_Ahaha!_ The—_ahaha!_—whole world must feel my joy! Let them feel joy, darkness, let them feel joy!" Her eyes glows. Her fingernails get longer in length. She has the power of sin at the tips of her fingers. She smiles, looking at all of her light disappear as she and her partner consumes every bit of hope in the world. She hisses. She rebels. She sides with no one. Plunging the world into chaos was what she is after. Stabbing her weapon of mass-destruction into the ground—her _holy_ Keyblade—she breathes jaggedly and looks ahead of her, her world tinted purple.

The war of the beasts is about to begin.

Ravenous is she, the Keeper of Chaos, the wielder of The Requiem of Atrophy. She will never sing alone, not she. She has her lover with her—the only one who seems to care about what she does with her life. She won't abandon such a glorious thing! She bares her fangs and tucks in her tail. Retracts her claws and puts that leer on her face—the same leer that her lover loved to see—. Oh how she loved to wear it on her face, if only to make it happy!

Light.

Oh how holy light was.

She snickers at the thought. "'I'm not doing a good job,' they say~?" She walkes down the road of tinted purple, things becoming unrecognizable to her eyes. "I'm only doing what He tells me to~" Forsaken by her lover, she starts to feel weak and they seize to dance like they once have. For the beat in which they tango to has gotten slower... And slower... And slower.

And with each downgrade of her once cherished beat, she starts to feel empty. Empty, as empty as an apple eaten to its core. As empty as a banana stripped from its peel—And love is supposed to be nothing more but helpless apples and oranges? She lashes out and kickes, retrieving her glorious Key, the Key that only she can hold, the Key that introduces her to her darling, her mistress, her everlasting salvation. She grips it tight, destroying everything that has ever gotten in her way of dancing, dancing with it—dancing with the song of her heart!

Her heart!

Swirling around in that madness was the lock, and she held the Key—the Requiem of Atrophy! She hesitated, glancing at what she believes is a small child, frightened and scared of her lover dancing slowly around her. She doesn't have the time to dance along to its song. Just as quickly as she surrenders her mind, she raises the damned Key and props it on the girl's shoulder, watching her tremble in fear. "Go... Home..." the purple-haired girl muttered while holding her Key.

"But I—"

Wrong answer. Her eyes glow again, that ominous yellow, the same yellow that ate everything she ever thought was real. "Believe nothing in this world that makes sense to you!" The dancing stops all together and the girl nearly topples over from the exhausting dancing of the forbidden rite. Her fingers twitch as she smiles—smiling because she has lost her mind to her lover, the chaos, the darkness. "I will unlock your heart..." she says, her love ever-standing by her side, waiting, watching for her to quench its thirst for pain. And the beat to their song speeds up... Even faster than the one before.

But that little girl is her.

And they dance, and dance, and consume the blood of others, enjoying the bloodshed of the ones that she held dear to her!

And they would never leave her again.

They would never think about leaving her again.

They would accept her for who she was, because she controls her mind, body, and soul, for the dancing cannot stop! It won't stop... Because she holds the Key...

Consumed by the darkness... She has nothing else to feed it. Her hands are stained with its sin. And the music stops. And the dancing stops. But she keeps going, awkwardly moving along to the beat of nothing. What if it went on forever? It can go on forever. And it did go on forever, for she sacrificed herself in the name of love!

In the name of power!!!

In the name of darkness!!!

And she not only holds the Key, but she holds the Heart that connected the Mind, Body, and Soul—three things which she does not have because she has surrendered herself to happiness! But she can steal them from others. Others of her kind. The same people who stole her lover... Who _wanted _to steal her lover... What did they know about her lover?! For it was He who saved her... It has always been it who saved her... The eternal darkness. She throws her embodiment of damnation across the path of purple and falls down to her knees. She doesn't need the Key. She'd summon the dance back.

Her eyes glow.

She is ready.

And with all five of her claws, she is prepared to dance again. But something stops her this time.

The sky darkens.

Her life flashes.

She looks up, her world no longer tinted in that horrible purple. Her world is colorful now—even in the darkness. The confused girl blinks before tears take over her eyes—her green eyes—the farthest color from yellow. Someone holds her arm—someone who chose to walk the path of her lover.

And then she realizes that black mist was not anyone she wants to love. And she cries because she let it get that far. "Come on kid, you can do better than that." She looks up, only to find the same man who saved her gone. Quietly, she gains the strength to stand, her mind filled with suicidal thoughts, her body covered in blood, and her soul filled with the hearts of others.

And she looks to redeem herself.

For she is the redeemer of darkness.

* * *

**A/N:** Guess who? Riku! XD;;;


	5. Family

**A/N: **Long time no see, guys! Having a difficult time, but I'm okay. XD Now I give you the fifth theme! For those of you who know your Final Fantasy VII, meaning Crisis Core, I'm doing a set of themes for that too, and I did family not too long ago for that! Isn't it wonderful? I kind of don't like this one because it feels rushed, but oh well. :3

Like, this family theme is so much different from the other one it isn't even funny. XD Anyway, yep, going Disney. **"Anytime You Need A Friend" by The Beu Sisters**. XD;;

And you know what? The theme name is supposed to be underlined as well as bolded, but the site is being stupid. :l

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_When your sad, when your feeling low, when your hurt and don't know where to go... Think of me. There I'll be anytime you need a friend._

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**V.) Family**

When I found out that my world had been eaten by "darkness", I was absolutely devastated. I-I... I... I didn't know what to do! I didn't know where to go! I didn't even know where I was, but for some reason—I could recognize the flowers around me. Aretha had lots of those red-flowers... And that's when I remembered that they were roses. I didn't find out that my world had been eaten by myself... I had help. All I remember is falling asleep and falling into some kind of purple, stained-glass monument.

And I was standing on top of the glass now.

I looked down and pieces of the floor flew up like light, revealing dark characters and designs. Purple bubbles floated up from the glass. No... No... I had already done all of that already. I had already had that weird dream... After all of that happened... Urgh... I met this wizard. And I was crying because I think I knew what happened to my world. It had been taken over by monsters, and something kept saying that I had the Key. That I was very helpful with building some kind of Kingdom Hearts.

And then I started to think to myself... Kingdom Hearts? It sounded like some place where I could run away to, because I wanted to be anywhere but here. Anywhere but in Aretha... And my wish came true. I would never see my parents again! And I started crying, and crying, and crying even harder. The wizard grabbed my shoulders and looked at me. He had a long beard and looked really wise, so I didn't say anything at when he touched me. However, I did flinch.

"My, my, my, what is the matter, little girl?" He sounded like he was really nice, but I just wanted to go home. I wanted to shout that out to him—scream it at him—but I couldn't form any words. My tears started coming down faster, and that's when I decided to tell him everything that had happened to me.

"I—I tried to stop them, the monsters, but I wasn't s-strong enough! I let them take away my whole life... My dad and my mom... They're gone! Both of them are gone and there is no way I can get them to come back, is there? Please Sir, tell me I can go back to my home and hug them one last time... Without them, I don't know what I'm going to do!" I buried my face back into my hands. I was always losing the people that I loved the most. I lost Kei, and now I lost my parents. And Kaori... I hadn't thought of Kaori, but I had lost her too! I didn't just lose one person—I lost them all! The wizard looked at me again, squinting his eyes.

"Excuse me Miss, but you didn't say monsters, did you?" I stopped crying for a little while and looked up at the man. He asked me that question like he understood what I was talking about! I had scratched up my knees when I collapsed on the ground the first time. I was wearing a green one-shoulder halter-top that I had one when my world was taken away from me. Belts were tied around my arms, and I was wearing purple shorts—the kind of purple that would match my purple pig-tails. I wasn't too picky on what kind of shoes I wore, so I had one short, ankle-length boot on and one knee-high boot on. "Miss, can you describe what exactly was it that you saw?"

I didn't think I'd be able to put the scene in words. Just when I was about to tell him what I saw, my memorized of that stained-glass platform started flaring up again. I-I was just so terrified! I was standing on the platform and I saw this girl with glowing yellow eyes who looked exactly like me... I—I didn't know what to say, and I didn't think anyone would answer my questions if I asked them. The girl was standing in a painful position, looking alert and just d-downright scary! She was surrounded by all of these glowing pink hearts—I didn't know what that meant. But that dark mist... She was completely eaten by it! It was like... She had no soul!

Next to her, I saw someone... And it looked like my sister. I shook my head, chewing on my lip. "I'm—my name is Ruri... And those black monsters... They had things on there head and—" I couldn't get the sentence out of my mouth. "I'm sorry I'm so stupid and I'm sorry I can't do anything right!" I started crying even harder, throwing my arms around the old man. "I'm just so afraid and lonely! Please, help me!" He looked at me with concern in his eyes, like he actually cared about me. For a split second, I was happy. But then my happiness dissolved into sadness.

"My name is Merlin, Ruri," he said. "Now this won't do at all, please, come inside. I have to ask you, do you know anything about a Keyblade?" I blinked. Maybe I did. I couldn't remember, but I felt my right hand tingle a little when he said that. It felt like something was crawling on my hand—I—I looked at my palm and my eyes widened. There was some kind of sign on it. "The... Heartless sign? Poor thing, we better get you checked out! This won't do at all!" He grabbed my hand and I stood up, almost falling on my face. He took me inside of this room, and there was this man on a big computer. He had blond hair and was wearing a white t-shirt. He looked scary from the back, but I tried to hold in my tears...

"Cid? Cid! I've found someone you might like to meet! Her name is..." He paused, trying to remember my name. "Oh please, forget my bad memory. This old body can't remember anything when I have three things to do."

"No, I understand..." I said, wiping my eyes with my sleeve. I tried to look strong in front of the old stranger who was now staring at me. He intimidated me with the cigarette he had in his mouth. "My name is..." I looked at my hand, watching it glow a little. Where did I get that mark from?! I didn't understand it! "You must be Cid, I'm..." I could not get my name out. Why? I felt like I would be ashamed to call myself Ruri... Before I could try again, something tackled me from the back, almost making me fall on the ground. Someone had their arm around my neck.

"Heeey! We've got a newbie here in our little house Cid? Merlin?" She turned me around and I saw the big smile she had on her face. "The name's Yuffie, the world's greatest ninja!" She pointed at herself, the straps on her jacket fluttering in the wind. "You don't look so good to me... Did you just come from a big fight or something?"

"Stop crowding up all around the girl!" Cid insisted, in a gruffy voice. He seemed more intimidating when he opened his mouth. "Let her breathe, Yuffie! She hasn't even told us her name!" I was going to tell them my name, when a woman wearing a pink ribbon in her hair walked into the room. She clapped her hands together, smiling too.

"Welcome to the restoration center!" she greeted. "My name is Aerith. Are you hungry, do you need anything?"

"No, no, I'm fine..." I sniffed, my eyes glued to the floor. "My name is Ruri... And you guys are awfully nice to me. Did I do something wrong?" Yuffie gasped, and then swung me to the side.

"You didn't do anything wrong Ruri! And in fact, we're here to make you feel all better!"

"Make me feel better...?" I muttered. I never had someone tell me that before... So I collapsed in the middle of the room and started to cry again. B—But I wasn't sad! I was happy! I was happy because someone cared for me!

"Are you okay?" Aerith said, walking over to me and putting her delicate fingers on my shoulder. Everyone crowded around me, pleading me not to cry. Cid just looked the other way, folding his arms. He said he didn't like to see girls crying.

And for the first time in my life, I felt like I had a family.


	6. First Kiss

**A/N:** Long time no see, huh guys? Yeah, I know. XD It's just that I've got a whole other set list and I'm contemplating starting another set list so I'll have like 300 themes to do this year! Doesn't that sound like a decent plan?! Of course not. That means I don't know when I'll be updating what and the updates for all three of these things would be out of whack. XD

Anyway, this song here is **City Sleep's "Prototype". **

And the site still won't let me underline. XD

* * *

But no matter how hard I've tried, she never smiles unless she's high. And just like you, won't ever stop crying.

* * *

**VI.) First Kiss**

She doesn't know why he has given her his gun, but frankly, she doesn't care. With bright orange eyes she glances at The Freeshooter, and then back at the gun in her hand. With a smirk, Xigbar ties a red ribbon around his eyes, putting his hands on his waist. Nuri smiles back at him, handling his gun clumsily.

"Ya're insane if ya go through with this, you know that," Nuri says, trying to aim at random objects inside of number II's room. "What if I have bad aim, Xiggy? What are you going to do then?" He smacks his lips, disproving her claim.

"As if!" he says with no fear in his voice. Slowly, he digs in his Organization XIII coat and pulls out a lone peppermint. And almost just as quickly, he props the piece of candy on top of his head. "Now go ahead and shoot me." She lifts a brow, grinning towards his challenge. She fingers the trigger with her left fingers, despite how heavy it is. She closes her left eye, imitating the sound an explosion would make.

"Poor Xigbar, are ya sure about this?" she warns once more, smiling coyly. "It's not like ya to do stupid things like this." He pauses and then begins to shuffle through his things. Nuri is confused about this until he proceeds to remove his arms out of his coat, revealing his scared chest. Thumbs extended out, he points at himself, a smirk on his face.

"You can go ahead and shoot, Trixie. Don't be afraid now!" he taunts. She snickers.

"Even better," she mumbles. Just when she tries to take the shot, he puts his hand out. She sighs, anger written all over her face.

"What, Xigbar?! What is it that ya want? Can I take the damn shot?"

He tilts his head. "Woah dude, I just thought it would be a nice idea if you closed both of your eyes and did it. Y'know, to up the challenge, Trixie! What, you afraid?" He should be the one afraid. She isn't the one asking to be shot at.

"What ever ya say," she says matter-of-factly, closing her eyes and aiming again. This time she does not hesitate in hitting her mark, one of The Freeshooter's bullets flying straight towards him. She smiles, knowing in her heart that he cannot tell where the bullet is going to hit—for it will not be in the place he _wants_ it to hit. And suddenly, before her eyes, he disappears all together, much to Nuri's dismay.

With her mouth agape, she curses to herself. She forgot he has the power to warp space. She looks to her left, looks to her right, and in a sudden outburst of anger, she looks up at the ceiling, praying to Kingdom Hearts that he isn't standing right above her trying to make a joke out of something that isn't funny. When she doesn't find him there, she puts an index-finger on her chin. "Ya're so weird, Xigbar," she says. "_Bwaaaauaaah_—" Before she gets the chance to say anything else, she feels like she has been tackled, but to her amazement, she is only falling down_ forward_—as if she has been pushed from behind.

And the more she looks, the more she catches a sense of falling down a flight of stairs—only to figure out she really _is _falling down a flight of stairs.

She wants to curse his name, but finds herself tumbling and tumbling until she lands on the floor. She rubs her head and looks up, only to see Xigbar standing on top of the ceiling with the peppermint in his mouth. "Hey, Trixie! Why the long face?" he taunts, his mint-scented breath smacking her in the face. And though she sits on the floor, she shoots up, ravenous to berate him, but the two aren't prepared to face what happens next.

Their lips meet—both Xigbar and Nuri looking right at each other with widened eyes. They separate quickly, she backing away and he descending back down onto the ground. She quickly tries to walk down the right side of the hallway, as he the left.

"Where do ya' think you're going?" she asks, panic written all over her face. She tries to keep her gaze glued to the floor. Unfortunately, he is doing the same thing.

"I'm going this way, dude, stop following me!" Now the two try to pick up their pace, only to walk at exactly the same speeds.

"No, you stop following me!"

And they disappear inside of the next hall.


	7. Rainfall

**A/N:** This was man. It wasn't cool to write. It was so... How do I put it? Hard. Just man. I've got no words for it. So yeah, just read and enjoy or whatever.

Anyway, you all know this, right? XD **Simple and Clean from the KH opening **and stuff?

Turn that on. Right now. All you so called fans of the game. So you know where that line comes from. XD;;;

* * *

_Reguardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all..._

* * *

**VII.) Rainfall**

Nuri stands there. Looking over her body. Watching the rain pelt on her—unforgivably. Unable to forgive. Condemning her for what she is and what she has become. But for some reason, Nuri finds herself unable to move. They were once sworn enemies—tearing at each other's throats every chance they got. And as Nuri stares at the dark-skinned woman's tattered body, lying there on the ground, her pupils dilated. "I—Ir..." She can barely get the rest of her name out of her mouth. Ruri stands behind Nuri, just as speechless as she is. "I—I—" She tries once again, but fails. Ira's breathing starts to slow down after a couple of minutes of inhaling sharply.

There is mud on the side of Nuri's face as she tries to knell down. Instead, the former Organization member falls down on her knees, her hands digging into the wet mud in front of her. All of these feelings. All of these emotions... Nuri raises her right hand up and clenches it, holding it to where her heart is. Even though she only has a fragment of it—why are these feelings so strong? Her brain conflicts with her mind. She doesn't like Ira, her brain tells her. But her heart—the organ that causes tears to overflow from her orange-colored eyes says that she is her friend. "Don't—don't—" Ira sees Nuri's face and snickers to herself, albeit weakly.

She can tell that Nuri isn't used to crying. Why, she is almost convinced that this is her first time crying at all. She looks like an infant now—not nearly the same person she was when she tried to kill her not too long ago.

_Patter. Patter. Patter._

"Ruri," Ira says, weakly turning her head and gasping for air. Ruri, in a horrified attempt to not look at her mangled body, tries desperately to look the other way. Still, her green eyes find themselves locked on Ira's body. And she just looks at her, wearing the same facial expression. "You have to... You have to..." Ira repeats, raising her left hand in the air. The same hand she is holding her drumstick with. "You have to... You have to close the Keyhole... Please. Close the Keyhole." Nuri does not know what to do. Does she take Ruri to fulfill what may be Ira's _death wish? _Does she just leave Ira in the cold, frozen mud?

And more than anything, why is the sound of the rain out-tuning Nuri's own tears hitting the ground? Her chest aches. Her eyes hurt. There is mucous protruding out of her nostrils. And yet she can't stop herself from crying. Now, she has no control of what her body wants to do. Of what her heart wants to do. Ruri takes a step back, her grip loosening on her Keyblade. Thousands and thousands of Heartless run into the open Keyhole as it sucks each and every thing without a heart in it. "I can't!" Ruri says, her pig-tails floating in the wind. "I can't... Please... I can't. I need help!"

"Why did you—" Nuri says, sobbing, digging her nails even deeper into the dirt. "Why did you risk your life—trying to save Ruri...? You..." she chokes, almost falling face-first into the dirt. "You idiot! I was here—." Yes, she was always there. Always behind Ira's back. Always protecting Ruri alongside her. "We can't do it without you Ira. We've come so far Ira. Please...! All of those Heartless and Nobodies—we can fight them together still!" She pauses, trying desperately to keep in her tears and emotions. But what's even harder is that she doesn't know where these emotions decided to come from. She knew she always had them—she knew that quite well—but where they had been before now...

"Weren't you... Scared?" Ruri asks, rubbing her eyes with both of her hands. "Ira..." Ira lets off a small smile. Her skin is grey. Even her once white hair is grey. Her lips are chapped. Her skin is cracking. Her amber eyes are dull. The lilac flower that is placed daintily in her hair is dying. "I don't understand!" Ruri exclaims, watching the Heartless scamper past her. The Heartless sitting on top of her head, Nana, keeps quiet about this whole thing. "You rushed in—as if nothing scared you! You—you—" Now Ruri shakes, barely able to keep a grip on her Keyblade. "You ran towards all of those Heartless—why would you do such a...?"

_Patter. Patter. Patter._

"I've been suffering from degradation all of this time... I—I did not have the heart to tell you. Now... Looking at your faces," she says, smiling a little. "I can tell that was a big mistake. But please, you two need to stop the Heartless from collecting into that Keyhole...! Save. Aretha. Save this world. Lock that Keyhole, Ruri! Lock it before it is too late! I—I left the Divine Retribution because I knew there was no hope if I stayed... And the only way out... The only way I could see a way out—" Ira looks towards Ruri, and almost in the blink of an eye—the vision in her right eye burns out.

"But you'll die!" Nuri shouts. She had been meaning to get that out for a while. "You'll die, die, die!" she says over and over, punching her fists into the mud. "The wind from the Keyhole will suck you up and we'll never see you again! All because... All because...!" She shakes her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Tears fly away from her closed eyes. "All because you don't have a heart! Why did we let that thing open..._ Nnnh!!" _

"Let me die," Ira says without hesitation.

"No way," Nuri says back, blinking tears.

"Then let me live. And die from the Heartless tearing me away. Let me become one with them."

Nuri's breath catches. She narrows her eyes, her pen appearing in her hand. It, too, is covered in dirt. Miraculously, she stops her crying. "What do you... What do you want me to tell Avaritia?"

"Tell him... Tell him it wasn't his fault."

Nuri nods her head, turning around and refusing to look back. Her emotions, however, make her turn back around. Ira tries to look at Nuri's face, but the vision in her left eye disappears. "Damn..." Ira mutters, the muscles in her hands relaxing as her arms drop to her sides. She stares at the sky. What she would give to be able to see the color of the sky again... Just one last time... Nuri looks at her face, shaking from a horrible realization.

"Your eyes... You're... Blind..."

"Go!" Ira yells with everything she has left. "Go! And hurry before you two are consumed too! We will meet again someday, that I am sure of! And when we do, I will be sure to tell you what the color of the sky is. Your sky! Our sky! Even if we live in different worlds, we all share the same sky. And we will see it again. The three of us. ...To... together."

"But... We'll never... See you again..."

_Patter. Patter. Splash._

"You don't have time!" Ira yells again, struggling to get off the ground. Ruri chews her bottom lip; Ira doesn't even know what direction to look in anymore. And in trying to get up, she hits the ground limply. "Regardless," Ira begins, wincing in pain, "of warnings... The future... Doesn't scare me... At all." And with that said, she stops breathing.

All Nuri can hear now is the sound of the rain.


	8. Heart

**A/N: **Phew. Boy. XD Haven't updated in a while.

I started this theme a looooong time ago. I hope this'll make up for that absence. XD;;

And no matter how long it's been... Ruri still needs hugs. XD

The proceeding lines are from Hikaru Utada's "Sanctuary".

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_ So many ups and downs, my heart's a battleground._

* * *

**VIII.) Heart**

_There is so very much to learn. You understand so little. A meaningless effort. One who knows nothing can understand nothing._

"Kingdom Hearts..." I mutter to myself, pointing my Keyblade up in the air. Sora let me borrow a key chain that he almost never uses, so put it on the end of my Keyblade. Well... My Keyblade started acting really funny, so I had to take it off. Nana told me our Keyblades are not the same... That his is one made out of light, and mine is one of darkness. Sora is a very nice person. When I met him at the potion-shop with Nana, he saw my Keyblade and his friends offered to buy me some. "...When will I find my heart...?"

When Kaori left me... When my world had gotten destroyed, everything inside of me scattered throughout the worlds... I—I can't figure out what I want anymore... Sora looks at me with a frown, but I tilt my head and I hope I didn't make him sad! He still has his friends to look for. Both Kairi and Riku, right? He can never find them if he's sad! Goofy is right behind us and Donald has his arms crossed, looking the other way.

I giggle a bit, looking at the mark on my hand. Donald doesn't like me because he thinks I am a Heartless... I am close to tears, but I know I have to stay strong. But I can't... "Oh come on Ruri!" Sora says, tilting his head. "You do have a heart! Just like everyone over here! Right Goofy?" He turns toward Goofy and he nods, his big dog ears flapping in the wind.

"Gawsh, he's right!" Goofy says, nodding his head a couple of more times. "You can't look fer what you already have! It's right here, Ruri!" Goofy touches the place where my heart is and I blink away a few tears. They are all such nice people. I could never ask them to let me travel with them. Sora and I have different goals... I have to find my sister Kaori, and he has to find his friends. I sigh and Nana adjusts herself on top of my head.

If only I am a better fighter...

Nana is my guardian. She is from the Realm of Darkness—a princess. She explained to me that with each Princess of Heart there is a Princess of Darkness. I am not a princess, but Nana is. She is a Heartless that I've traveled with since the day she met me. But that's a different story. She's always handing on top of my head but I don't mind. I smile as I hear Nana starting to fall asleep. It is getting late and the sun is trying to set...

"Ruri, you're gonna do great," Sora says, smiling a big, cheesy grin. He looks behind him with a mischievous expression, eying Donald. "Isn't that right, Donald?"

"Yeah yeah yeah!" Donald answers back, which makes me laugh. The way Donald talks is funny. B—but it's rude to laugh, so I stop as soon as I noticed it! "Sora let's get outta here!" Nana taps me on the head and I squint my eye. Nana cares a lot about me. She's like the family I never had a chance to have fun with...

"Ruri, if you keep standing like that you'll end up slouching..." Nana says, pulling on my hair a little. I let out a slightly embarrassed gasp because now I'm standing up awkwardly. Sora and Goofy find it funny—and with the look on their faces I can't help but flash a smile. There's something about these people that make me feel warm... I'm glad they're doing everything they can to help people. Nana jumps off my head and—with a Heartless pep in her step—bows in front of Sora.

"I'm sorry," Sora says, scratching the back of his head with a smile. "I've never seen a talking Heartless before... Especially one that isn't trying to attack me and my friends. But boy do I know what it feels like to be trapped in a Heartless body!" Sora kneels down, extending his hand towards Nana. Not too long after that he takes his hand back, frowning a bit. "Oh, I almost forgot... You have no fingers." He simply pats Nana on the head. She doesn't take it personally, but her eyes do glow in admiration.

"It was nice to meet you, Keyblader of Light." Nana glances at Goofy and he smiles back at her. Donald on the other hand... He doesn't trust us. I think it might be because of the Heartless symbol I have tattooed on my right hand. I put my Keyblade in my left hand and look at my right palm. Maybe Donald is right. Maybe on the inside... I'm just a Heartless. While lost in thought Sora pats me on my shoulder and I almost fall down on my face.

"It was nice to meet you two too!" Sora exclaims. "Ruri, don't sweat it! Just go to Hollow Bastion. Leon has to know something about why you've got that mark on your hand. He knows a lot of things, and the people there will treat you very nice!" I made a fist, bringing my arms down to my sides. I didn't tell Sora this, but I had already been to Hollow Bastion. I... "I wish you both could come with us but I'm on a mission to find my friends. And you're a Keyblader, so you have to have something you're looking for too."

"I'm looking for my sister Kaori," I reply, nodding my head. "Have you heard anything about her?" My hopes are raised. Sora and his friends are good people. If they know something about Kaori, I'm sure they'll tell me! That is... Until Sora shakes his head. "Oh." I look at the ground. I have to be strong. Because if I'm not strong, the people around me will feel bad because I'm sad... I believe in smiles being contagious... But frowns are just as deadly. But I can't stop myself.

Sora, being himself, touches the place where his heart is supposed to be and looks into the clouds. He's always smiling. He's so sure of himself. Confident. "Don't worry Ruri. You've come so far. You'll find Kaori sooner or later."

"C'mon Sora!" Donald yells. Goofy turns around and waves at him. Aww, they have to leave already? Sora winks at the two of us, his Keyblade disappearing. And he could control it with ease...

"Remember what we talked about Ruri! Even though someone is gone, they still live on in your heart, and you can find them because your hearts are connected!"

Our hearts... Are connected?

I looked up at Sora, tears in my eyes. I wave at him for as long as I can and turn around in the other direction. "C'mon Nana. I know we can do it. Let's go find Kaori!"

I hope Sora's right.


End file.
